1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vending machine and more particularly to an interactive machine which is usable to dispense a variety of personalized social occasion products including greeting cards and/or visual and audio media as selected by a customer.
Even more specifically, a vending machine of this invention is further programmable to detect error or malfunction conditions and low base product or ancillary supply levels and to report such conditions. Further, the vending machine generates and transmits periodic reports of sales, marketing and consumer information statistics. Finally, the vending machine receives data and control for revision of the types and attributes of products to be dispensed without a physical visit to the vending machine. At the same time, the vending machine is reliable, efficient and fast in operation and is manufacturable at relatively low cost.
2. Background of the Invention
As discussed in the introductory portion of the specification of the aforementioned related applications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,892,427 and 3,982,744 disclose methods for the production of personalized "ME" books in which, for example, the name of a child who is to receive a story book is printed in the text of a story book. In the production of such books, a computer was used to control a printer to print variable data on preprinted sheet material to form sheets which were bound together in a separate operation to provide the final hard cover book product. As disclosed, many types of variable data could be stored in the computer and such variable data may include quality control indicia which may include check bars or other graphics.
The Rosewarne et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,327 discloses methods similar to those disclosed in the "ME" book patents and the printing of specific types of graphics including pictorial figures having physical characteristics similar to personalized data introduced into the system. A standard microprocessor is programmed to provide storage and combining functions after personalized data is introduced into the system by temporary storage by the purchaser or user on a storage medium such as a punched card. One or more plotters are used for producing the final product, an eight pen plotter being disclosed.
The aforesaid Buckley et al. '472 patent discloses a machine for vending greeting cards and similar social occasion personalized products. The machine is readily operable by a customer without assistance to obtain personalized or customized products of his or her choice. The machine includes means for displaying identifications of available products and desirable attributes and features thereof and of modes of selection such as to facilitate selection of products and the desired attributes and features by the customer, and provides a flexible manufacturing platform. This flexible platform allows for quick changes of product storage means to allow different products to be manufactured to customer's preferences.
More particularly, the machine of the Buckley et al. '472 patent includes an enclosure with selection and payment means on the outside thereof and with product storage and handling means on the inside thereof, all coupled to a computer which is on the inside of the enclosure. The computer is programmed to deliver a selected product to a receptacle from which it may be removed by the customer. Preferably, available products and their desirable attributes and features are identified both audibly and visually and the computer is programmed to control presentation of a sequence of images and associated sound. In accordance with an important feature, the computer controls a general presentation of a series of descriptions of available products and their features with instructions as to initiating use of the machine. When a customer initiates use of the machine, the computer then controls presentations of specific instructions to the customer to make it possible to make selections easily, quickly and accurately. After a customer's selections are effected, the computer again controls the general presentation and repeats it until another customer's use is initiated. Thus the audible and visual capabilities of the machine are used to maximum advantage.
In an illustrated embodiment of the Buckley et al. '472 patent, the images are presented on a CRT screen which is also usable as a touch screen for selection of the desired product and the desired features and attributes thereof. The touch screen or a keyboard or other input device may be used, for example, to select from among a number of different birthday cards and to enter the name and birth date of the intended receiver, the name of the sender and other personalized data.
After a customer selects and pays for a greeting card or other product, a data entering mode may be initiated in which he or she is asked to enter data or otherwise select the form of the final product, as by entering the names of the receiver and sender of a birthday card, for example. The data entering mode may further include operations for viewing and correction of entered data.
Many vending machines have heretofore been provided for vending of cans, bottles, hot and cold liquids in cups, sandwiches, candy, combs, and various other products, each machine being typically designed to handle only products which have a physical size and shape within a certain limited range. For example, one of such machines is disclosed in the Ogaki et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,565 and is designed for vending of a computer program selected by a customer from menus displayed on a screen, the selected program being recorded on a tape cassette or floppy disc inserted into a tape or disc drive of the machine.
Problems commonly associated with vending machines by consumers frequently arise, however, when (1) the machine is out of the product which the consumer wishes to purchase or is unable to create the product which the consumer wishes to purchase; (2) the machine is unable to make change; (3) the machine is out of order; or (4) the machine has no product which the customer is currently interested in purchasing. In all of these situations, the customer cannot or will not make a purchase. Most common vending machines attempt to remedy this problem by having a service person visit the machine daily. However, if the machine becomes inoperative shortly after a visit by a service person, an entire day's sales are lost. In high traffic areas, the volume of lost sales can be very damaging to profitability of the machine.